Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development contributes to combating desertification and environmental sustainability

Ulaanbaatar: The Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development is participating in the proceedings of the Seventeenth Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, held in the Mongolian capital, Ulaanbaatar. The Fund is showcasing its contributions to supporting developmental projects with environmental dimensions, as well as its role in financing projects that contribute to land reclamation, water resource management, food security enhancement, and addressing environmental and climate challenges.

These efforts are gaining increasing importance amid the expanding scope of global land degradation. Data from the UN Convention to Combat Desertification indicates that land degradation affects up to 40% of the world’s land area, impacting food production, water availability, livelihoods, and economic stability.

There is a pressing need to enhance financing and investments directed toward land restoration and combating desertification and drought. Addressing these challenges requires mobilizing substantial financial resources and channeling them into executable projects and programs, thereby underscoring the importance of the role played by development finance institutions in this field.

Within its developmental activities, the Kuwait Fund prioritizes supporting projects that contribute to restoring degraded lands and enhancing sustainable livelihoods, while ensuring the sustainable use of natural resources and preserving ecosystems. It also focuses on strengthening resilience to environmental impacts and climate change.

Eng. Thamer Al-Filikaawi, Director of the Operations Department at the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development, stated that the Fund’s participation in COP17 reaffirms the critical role development finance can play in supporting international efforts to combat desertification, land degradation, and related environmental challenges.

Al-Filikaawi added that “sustainable development and environmental protection are integrated paths. Many developmental projects financed by the Fund in friendly countries extend beyond providing infrastructure and services; they encompass the sustainable use of natural resources, land reclamation, and the enhancement of water and food security, as well as improving communities’ capacity to adapt to environmental and climate challenges.”

He clarified that “combating desertification and land degradation requires effective partnerships that combine financing, scientific expertise, and sustainable planning, helping to translate environmental solutions and initiatives into executable projects that achieve sustainable developmental impact.” He emphasized the Fund’s commitment to exchanging expertise and enhancing cooperation with international and developmental institutions in this area.